When we last checked in on the homebrewing adventures of the Marketing Unit, I mentioned that I’d share the results of the next batch with you even if I beefed it. While I won’t necessarily admit that the latest batch is the victim of any intentional wrongdoing, it’s no proud beer either.
When we brewed this batch back in the beginning of May, I knew that I was cutting it close. Seasons were shifting, summer weather was already starting to stir, and I was fermenting this beer in my closet with very little in the way of temperature controls. I decided on a batch of fairly basic American pale ale with some brown sugar added for a bit of extra body and alcohol. Maybe the beer would finish fermenting before we really hit summer temperatures, I reasoned. Unfortunately, things got hot in a hurry.
What I now have instead of tasty, refreshing pale ale, is five gallons of unnamed coppery-colored liquid angst in convenient 12oz bottles. Short of digging a lagering cave under Sugar Hill, it looks like my homebrewing will need to take a summer vacation until things cool off. Next time you hear from us, I have high hopes that it will be with much more delicious news.